


Skele-Glam

by BlissHellfire



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-05
Updated: 2020-01-17
Packaged: 2021-02-26 19:53:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,799
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21684280
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlissHellfire/pseuds/BlissHellfire
Summary: World Building for a Classic AU mostly.
Kudos: 2





	1. An Old Flame

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pronouns used: they/them (singular) and ze/zir/zirs/zirself  
> WARNING: Simulated human flesh is described being charred and liquified in loving and detailed terms.

A humanoid entity briskly walks through the sleeping city. The sun went down long ago but the entity’s day never end until their work finished with them.  
“What an exhausting day!” The entity laments. “This hunk of flesh smells, its heavy and I can’t even move properly. I can’t even comprehend how humans cope with this every day.” They groan.

The entity leaves the busy city streets to slam the door shut. They rush past the wood paneling and black walls of the hallway. However, they are careful not to knock over the cheap antique paintings. The narrow hallway made it a common occurrence if the entity wasn’t careful. The only thing between the entity and pure bliss is a thick metal reinforced door with a dozen locks adorning it.

The entity with a graceful ease, undoes all the locks until the heavy door elegantly swings open.

“Perfectly oiled.”

The entity waltz in and gives the thicc door a pat. It immediately snaps shut and does the locks all by itself. “Good girl,” the entity purrs.

It’s already set. The furnace in the center roars with the flames of thousands of degrees Fahrenheit, perfect for the purposes of the entity. 

“I’ve been waiting for this all day!” 

The entity confidently steps through and sits on the grate. They can already hear the epidermis sizzle under the extreme heat. They rest their chin in their hands, elbow on knees. “The smell of freedom.” The entity chuckles in their bliss.

They’d been stuck in this hunk of flesh for weeks to gather everything they needed. The monsters here were always a fickle bunch. They never moved unless given the right push. With the right resources in the right places, the entity believed that perhaps, all this hiding would be over. 

“Maybe…” The entiry mused as remainder of their ass melted off. “This may be the last time I wear the flesh suit.”

The entity can’t help but roar out in laughter as they lay the rest of their body on the grate. The sizzling, boiling and charing of their flesh felt amazing. 

“Why can’t the outside feel as good as the inside?” The entity mutters.

With the bones of the entity’s back exposed, they roll onto their side, the euphoria all-encompassing now.

“If AOI told me 5 years ago that we’d be this far..” another uproar of laughter, then the room goes quiet aside from the sizzling of flesh. 

The entity feels their chest. The internal organs has yet to liquify from the flames. The entity groans, their soul is nestled deeply in the flesh. The entity longs to examine it, assess any damage from the day’s work.

“If I get myself killed before the final stage because I catch the evening blues, I’ll never forgive myself.” The entity groans.

They shifted to their stomach. 

“Why can’t it go faster? Ugh!” They yell and stretch.

The flesh cooks at the same speed regardless.

The entity sighs before getting up. Most of the flesh on their arms and legs were gone. Aside from some thick muscle along their shoulder, it was only a few minutes of patience away from being done. However, the pelvis and chest cavity regions were taking far too longer. 

“Perhaps, next time, I’ll swallow some accelerant.” The skeleton muses.

They pull out the reminance of an eye. Their magical tongue spits out any excess flesh around their tongue to reveal its soft yellow glow. The entity uses it to lick the remainder of the fleshy bits from around their teeth.

The entity glances back at their chest in disgust, then at the fire, then at their chest and back at the fire again. Those coals looked amazing! They’d get this off the entity in an instant, however, coal ash didn’t come off bone easily without some effort. 

“Should I?” They wine, “but I can’t stand waiting another minute.” They pause, drawing their phalanges along their cheek bone and down to their lower jaw. The yellow of their eye lights draws in the sight of those most tender and caring coals.

The entity sighs and throws up their hands, “I give up! I have given up!” They call to the world. “I cannot stand this injustice any longer.”

The entity throws off the grate. Then, they ever so carefully lower themself over the loving licks of fire. It reminded the entity of an old flame of theirs. 

It wasn’t long after they had arrived in the city when the entity met that gorgeous monster. It was at an underground get together. Mandated by the council to keep everyone in line but it never worked out that way. Monsters would drink monster liquor until their magic mingled without even calling for it.

That night, the entity found it a good as time as any, to take a selfie from within an iron maiden. The host found it most distasteful to the entity’s chagrin who was locked inside. The entity knew someone would let them out eventually. No monster would lock them inside here forever, at least, no one on the guest list would. Destroying the maiden with bone constructs was out of the question. The host monster was already being lenient by not dusting them on the spot. The destruction of one of zirs favorite toys, would be more than enough justification than ze needed. 

At the time, the thought made the entity shiver. So instead of busting out, the entity tried their best to leak as much magic out like a horny monster kid who couldn’t control their own desire.

It sapped the entity of an uncomfortable amount of magic, however, they just needed one person to find the display gross and yank up the maiden’s basic lever. Then, they would be free.

The entity relished the idea of the monster who did this. They probably expected a couple monsters getting it on, only to find one lonely masturbatory monster. That would give the entity enough time to get themself out of their in their disbelief, even if they weren’t so generous.

To their surprise, it wasn’t a prude of a monster to open the door but instead a fire elemental in a three piece suit, large round glasses and a huge ass dark blue blush standing in strict contrast to their light blue flames. 

“Oh, um, sorry, I didn’t mean to disturb—whatever yer doing.”

“Nonsense!” Entity declares while thrusting themself out of the entanglement. “Thanks for letting me out. Damn, host this time is touchy with zirs artifacts.”

“I guess so..” the elemental mumbles. “I haven’t seen you here before, are you new? Or did you—“

“—No and No.” Entity quickly answers with a tense smile. “And please, never speak to me about either of those EVER again. However, I can answer your most burning question.”

The entity takes the elemental’s gloved palm and squeezes it.

“My name is {white noise}”

“What?”

The entity tries to speak it again to only get a mixture of static and images. The entity swears it would work that time but awe well, if the soul ain’t ready to shine, then let it shine in its own time.

“Nothing. How ‘bout this? You tell me your name.” 

“Lumin,” Lumin awkwardly smiles while prying his hand away. “And what was that?”

The entity winks at Lumin in response, then gets tosses themself on a well upholstered couch with their BOOTS on the sheek fabric. 

Lumin rolls his eyes and sits on a nearby chair, careful to shift his tailcoat before sitting down. “The host won’t be pleased when ze sees you.”

“I know,” the entity smirks.

“About the—“

“— think none of it,” the entity smirks, “I’ve already forgiven you. No need to feel guilt for past transgressions.”

While entity admirers their phalanges, the room gets several degrees hotter until Lumin manages to collect himself. 

(Blue flames look so good on him. Kinda cute.)

The entity feels magic rising in their cheeks and quickly dispells it with a laugh.

“What’s so funny?!” Lumin raises his voice and stomps over.

The entity leaps into action, pulling their legs to their body and crossing their arms to intercept a blow that never comes.

“What are you doing?” A perturbed Lumin says, “I was just asking a question.”

“Oh,” entity settles themselves, not how to react.

“So what do I call you?”

“It doesn’t matter.” The entity shrugs.

“Of course it matters! I don’t want to be responsible for hurting your soul.”

“So.. you do care about me?” The entity smirks.

“Uh! You’re the worst! Just give me your name already.” Lumin holds out a hand.

“Sorry,” the entity bursts out into giggles, “I think I lost it.”

Lumin blush bursts and his flames nearly rise to the ceiling for a moment. “You are insufferable.” Lumin sighs, “you really can’t tell me?”

The smile falls off entity’s shit eating grin. His eye lights shake temporarily before saying, “it’s out of my hands. You get used to it.” 

“Can’t you just.. pick your own name?”

“Why does it matter to you so much? It’s basically just a nickname, you aren’t replacin’ my old one just by callin’ me somethin’ different.”

“Oh, that’s good to know… but I still want to pick a good one.”

“What? Are you expectin’ to see me again?”

Lumin nods.

Entity puts their head in their hands and shakes it. They feel the magic steaming in their eye sockets. It’s coming out. There’s nothing entity can do to stop it. Why is this happening now of all times?

They feel something sit beside him.

“Apricot?”

Entity can’t help but laugh and shakes their head.

“What about?... what’s yellow?” Lumin hums to himself thinking before exclaiming, “Lemon!”

Entity manages to whisper, “please don’t.”

“Okay, okay. Just give me a second. You’re not giving me much to work with, you know that right?”

Entity shrugs. They know if they speak, Lumin probably will hear it in their voice.

“Alright, what about.. Cheese! No, hmm..”

Entity turns slightly and peaks between their phalanges. Lumin’s concentrating more than they expected. He restlessly keeps shifting between wringing his hands and squeezing his knees. 

(What the hell?)

Lumin glances over.

Entity turns back to the ground. A yellow tear or two escapes Entity’s fingers.

“Banana? No.” Lumin continues for awhile.

(Maybe, he didn’t notice.)

Entity sighs. They wipe up the last of the tears and sits up, crossing their arms behind their back. If Entity lounged them along the back of the couch like they normally did, they would be directly behind Lumin.

That would be… close.

Entity couldn’t help but smile at the thought nonetheless.

“Did you like that one?”

“What?”

“Butter.”

Entity snorts.

“Are you even listening?” Lumin glares. 

“No, I am.” Entity scratches their chin, “I just don’t want to have a name that sounds like I’m ready to strip.”

“But it— never mind! What about Taxi?”

“Because I can go to—“

Before Entity manages to finish, Lumin’s hand snaps to cover their mouth but Lumin isn’t even looking. His gaze is transfixed on the esteemed host glaring at the open iron maiden.

“Sweetie,” the sultry ghost cooed, “were you, by chance, the one who let out that insect?”

“Oh, no Mx. Para, I believe it was Cantrip.”

The sultry ghost host’s normally pleasant smile turns foul as the room goes cold with zirs murderous rage. Yet, the ghost disguised it well in zirs voice, “was Cantrip also drinking? I’m asking for the fiend was planning on being sober tonight.”

Lumin shrugs it. “I’m sorry, Mx Para, I wish I could be of more help,” he says innocently , “but she left as soon as I came in. So maybe? I hope you find her!”

Mx. Para, the honorably host, exits stage left.

Meanwhile, Entity’s metaphorical jaw is still on the floor. “How?”

Lumin smiles deviously, “it’s what the Mx wanted to hear. Simple as that. Now about—“

“Can you teach me?” Entity’s eye light temporarily turn into yellow stars.

“I don’t know,” Lumin plays along. “I have a pretty high price. I will have to change my whole strategy just to teach you but I think I have the perfect form of payment.”

Lumin whispers softly into Entity’s ear hole. “Call me senpai.”

Entity’s eyelights go white for a moment. They quickly shoves him away. 

Lumin flops over, proud as hell.

“No thanks,” Entity grumbles.

Lumin snaps his fingers, “Dandelion.”

Entity raises a brow bone.

“Then its settled. Oh! And if I don’t feel like saying the whole thing, I can call you Lion.”

“Isn’t that just a name if there’s a nickname?”

“Haven’t you heard of a nickname of a nickname?”

“Why? No.”

“Now you have, your welcome!” Lumin exclaims proudly. His pride knows no bounds.

“I surrender.” 

“I knew I’d win! Now, let’s play a game. I know there’s a Traps and Ladders game around here. I think the Mx hid it though.”

Entity smiles at the thought of all the games being packed away before their arrival. “That’s quite a shame.”

“Dandelion?” 

Entity snaps to Lumin who can’t help but smile despite the previous irritation crossing his flames.

“I forgot what I was going to say.” He says without skipping a beat.

“Oh, okay.” Entity says.

(How the hell did I respond so damn quickly to fucking DANDELION!)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [OG: 2019/11/25?] - Lost original date  
> [Published: 2019/12/5]
> 
> Lending Library Acknowledgements:  
> I think of myself as more of a remix artist rather than coming up with my own entirely unique ideas. I just figure out fun new combination of older ones. The title and E (entity's) ability to produce simulated human flesh is inspired by the glamour from Kalila Stormfire’s Economical Magick Services. The melting is more akin to Raiders of the Lost Arc scene with that baddies having their flesh melted off. Though, not so much as Khalila.
> 
> Kalila Stormfire's Economical Magick Services is an amazing podcast that centers POC and has enby characters. I'd highly encourage you to listen to it. Though, glamour used in the podcast doesn't act like mine. Its more of just a Fae thing. I don't even remember exactly how its described. So, I more just borrowed the general idea and went ham wild with it.


	2. Mail Carrier

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Here be magi.
> 
> A human’s ready to leave the nest but her Nan requests one last stop at the old growth tree. As per usual, she’s told to wait for 15 minutes for a mail carrier. Who meets a mail carrier at a tree? And what kind of carrier takes stale hard candy as payment?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ospane (she/her, they/them), Mail Carrier (ze/zir/zirs/zirself)  
> WARNING: mention of body dysphoria, angry swearing, implied abuse of an off screen character in past, use of ableist slur (idiot/stupid)

“Why can’t there be switch backs on roads? Oh wait! There CAN! Fucking idiots.” Ospane grumbles. 

The way up to the damned tree is the steepest road in the suburb. It goes up at this horrific angle that bicyclists only go down if they want to die with their blood pumping. Despite the long trek, Ospane’s goal is always in view.

A tree.

It’s said to be the oldest in the neighborhood. It doesn’t look as old as people claim. It isn’t very tall either. However, there were pictures of it when the town was established. It isn’t a particularly nice tree either. It has lots of English Ivy crawling up the base. Whoever prunes the English Ivy only does it occasionally, since you can see through the branches some of the remanence of vines rotting high up the tree. Several of the larger branches near the base crack at awful angles giving it a bit of a spooky look. It’s a wonder that it hasn’t caught a fungal infections and every disease in the book. In addition, it’s a wonder that it’s still around with how close it’s to the road. It pulls up the pavement at such a sharp angle that cars routinely just ride on the sidewalk rather than run over it.

Regardless of how “amazing” the damn tree is, she was still DYING. Everything was hot, sweaty and bad. SOOOO bad. The lack of trees did allow some wind to pass through the coldesack but it still meant that the sun beat down like a trainer beating its horse. It felt like abuse just to stand in it. 

She keeps on wiping off her face with her shirt. It just expands the sweat marks. She really should’ve worn a tank top. The more she thought about it, the funnier the idea was. She’d rather have the heat than the damn dysphoria, counter her out of that BS. She’d survive until she got into the shade. 

Instinctually, Ospane reaches for their phone to only find the damn key. 

“Forgot about the rule.” Ospane grumbled to herself. 

The weekly tree visits since she was a kid always meant she couldn’t bring any electronics: no hand held consoles, phones, even those crappy games that come from restaurant chains. She managed to sneak one but afterwards, the damn thing never turned on again. 

She wasn’t dense enough to think anything had changed. Regardless of the cause, she wasn’t gonna risk her phone. Even if it meant a boring ass thirty-minute walk plus another fifteen minutes spent in silence. 

And it’s not like anything ever happened! Most of the time, Ospane remembers sitting for those fifteen minutes with her Nan for nothing to happen. Then, Nan would remark that perhaps the mail carrier wasn’t coming for that day. She made it clear that it wasn’t the normal mail carrier than came by our place.

Nope, this one only delivered at a tree.

It wasn’t entirely a surprise to Ospane at the time. Nan and Pa always had a mixed back of beliefs. None of them fit into any clear box. Upon explanation, Pa never wanted to talk about it. Nan said she had faith in what felt right. Pa nodded along. 

Ospane once made the mistake of mentioning it to some classmates. She shivered at the memory of their expressions. It was a mixture of confusion and amusement. Some of them remarked on Nan’s crossed eyes in relation to their ritual as if there was some connection. 

Ospane usually chased them off after comments like that. Luckily, none of them really brought it up again. 

When she finally managed to sit in the shade of the tree, the largest gust of wind smacked into her. It was heaven. So heavenly as she could feel her vision blur slightly, begging for sleep. She shook herself to stay awake. She only needed to be conscious for another couple minutes. Even the rough tree roots digging into her ass didn’t keep from sleep beckoning. Only a couple more minutes until this whole debacle was over. 

Ospane turns over a fifteen-minute hourglass timer. It’s only use was for these trips. She already asked someone on the way here. She couldn’t be more than a couple minutes early at most. Not that she cared, she wasn’t a perfectionist for these things—especially if Nan wasn’t here to make sure of it. Then she remembers the hard candy for the mail carrier. It looked like something that came out of the nineteen-hundreds. The wrappers are pineapple themed with a less than appetizing piss yellow color to the candy. 

(Why the fuck would I even eat these?)

Ospane grimaced as they put the candy beside them. Nan had berated them to not eat the candy. She kept repeating over and over again how it was for the mail carrier and ze only. 

(Who would ever want to eat these? Much less need a broke-ass college student delivering them in exchange for mail as currency?)

Ospane sighed. She stopped questioning Nan’s and Pa’s shit awhile ago. There wasn’t a point in asking the who, what, and why of everything when she knew the answer would be unsatisfactory anyway. 

“You’re lucky I need a hand moving out.” She grumbles under her breathe. “But you could at least come up with a better excuse. Cuz I’m busy---doesn’t count.”

Ospane glanced out over the path she came down. Every time she came up here, she always forgot how far it was. In the distance, she can see the skyscrappers towering up. Her neighborhood is hidden within a treeline. But if she squints, she swears that she can see a hint of the neighborhood park tree that isn’t far from her nan’s house.

(What do ya know? Doesn’t look half bad.)

The time passes slower than Ospane expects. Every time she looks back to the timer, the sand seems like its barely moved from the last. She slumps further against the tree trunk. The roots don’t seem as uncomfortable now. She feels like she can breathe in the warm air without feeling cooking from the inside. Another gigantic breeze hits her, rolling the hard candies into her knee. Her eye lids start to droop. 

She feels herself nodding off when a couple pine needles plop on her cheek. She glances up, expecting a couple squirrels. She rubs her eyes, she must’ve closed them. Once they come into focus, she sees a traditional mail carrier nimbly moving between the branches. They’re moving far too quickly to see a face until ze hits the ground.

Ze does a dramatic bow before looking at Ospane in the eye.

Ospane remains with a WTF expression as the mail carrier walks back to the tree trunk. Zirs fingers feel along the trunk for something. Zirs expression lights up as part of the bark becomes like a brown puddy which ze shoves zirs arm into, almost up to zirs shoulder. After a bit of “feeling” around, the mail carrier satisfactorily pulls out a crisp white, standard envelope. 

It all comes back to Ospane in that moment of recognition. Zirs the same mail carrier as from when she was a kid. The carrier didn’t look like ze aged a single day. 

“Y-y-your zir. The—the—the guy.” Ospane points.

“I’m the mail carrier, actually. Don’t fret over the mix up. I still get mistaken for The Guy, time and again. We have such similar jobs.”

“Whut?”

Without skipping a beat, the mail carrier glances down at the letter, then back up at Ospane. “I know who you are, but can you swear that you are Ospane Cantebury?”

Ospane hesitantly replies, “I swear I’m Ospane Cantebury. Why?”

“Security. Here you go.”

Mail carrier hands Ospane the note in exchange for the candies. Ospane is about to open the letter but the curiosity gets the best of her. She watches in shock as the mail carrier opens up each candy individually to just swallow them. She hadn’t noticed this before but the carrier’s cheeks looked like they got filled in. It’s as if the carrier was hanging on by a thread until this moment.

“Is something wrong?”

Ospane stares for another second before hurriedly opening up the note. Her Nan waited last time and she had a feeling that she should read it before the carrier left.

She discarded the older envelop onto the grass, unfolding the letter quickly to slow down as her eyes fell on “dear grandchild” in cursive. Her grandmother’s cursive was unmistakable. She only received a small amount of the personal effects when her birth parents visited when she was a kid. She didn’t think she’d ever see a scrap more. They seemed more than eager to get rid of it. Anything else left she assumed to be burned.

The letter felt similar to the ones in the box she received but it felt crisper, stronger and like the paper recently came off the press. The handwriting was sloppier, it looked more rushed than grandmother’s handwriting normally was. It didn’t seem like the confident, self-assured lady she always imagined from the letters and saw in the pictures.

[Letter starts]  
My Sweet Grandchild,

Don’t trust Uncle Jerald. No matter what. As soon as you get this letter, leave. Here’s something to get out of town. Don’t ever let your mother, father or any family know where you go. Remember, you are a precious ray of sunshine in your own right. Never sacrifice your happiness for someone else’s benefit or vice versa. We all have our inherent worth. We all deserve to live our best lives. Be safe.

With Lots of Love,  
Grandma

[Letter Ends]

At the bottom of the letter, grandmother painted a bucay of these light blue flowers that that seemed to glow. 

Ospane looks to the Mail carrier in visible confusion. Ze runs zirs hand over zirs neck before Ospane even starts.

“So. what did my uncle do?

“Hmm.. well, I’d love to say but I don’t know. I met your grandma after.. whatever happened happened. Let’s just say, I never had met your grandma before or since if that gives you a better context of what happened.”

“So he..” Ospane struggles to gesture out the words either. “He did the thing to her…”

“You’re guess is as good as mine. Either way, he’s no longer a problem.”

Ospane exhales, nods. “This is.. a lot, but thanks.” She attempts to smile. “It means a lot to me.”

“Your welcome! It is my pleasure but I do wish we met under more favourable circumstances.”

Ospane sighs, “And I wish I got it earlier though. Would’ve made it worth these trips.”

“You came here every Sunday, didn’t you?”

“Yup.”

“I’m not even here that often. Just when there’s a job to be done.”

“So, what are you gonna do now?”

The mail carrier glances sadly up at the tree. “I’ll go back one last time.” Zirs smile doesn’t quite reach ear to ear. It makes ze look even sadder. “I’ll be alright. Nothing to worry about. I’ve had long waits between jobs before.”

“How long until your next one?”

“Don’t know. It could be a month? A year?”

Ospane takes a step closer. “When was your last letter?” The mail carrier takes a step back.

“I mean it, it’s nothing to worry about. I’ve got to be going now. Places to be.”

“But you said this is the last one.”

The mail carrier stops mid-climb, “I did, didn’t i? Slip of a tongue.”

“What happens after your last letter?”

“Magic doesn’t hold if there isn’t a purpose to it. So I’ll.. I don’t know actually but I’ll be fine.” the mail carrier waves dismissively. 

Ospane tentatively fingers the key and ring in their pocket. Things seemed so uncertain lately, she didn’t want to risk losing the ring in the move. It’s not like she needed it right now anyway. Then, the key.. She squeezes it tighter until it’s too painful to hold on much longer and yanks it out. She tests the bending strength of it as she thinks. She never wanted to have it. Just thinking about what was in that lockbox made her sick. If she could put back the inevitable a little longer, she could maybe sleep soundly for just a little longer. There was no rush, right?

“Could i.. uh.. send this and..” Ospane produces the ring from her bag. “Could I get these back in a year? Do you have any paper?”

The mail carrier fails to hide zirs utter shock. The two of them wait in an awkward silence. Ospane fumbles with her key uncertainly. The mail carrier keeps on mumbling indiscernible phrases until ze puts zirs mind together.

“It’d be my pleasure.”

In no time, the mail carrier held the precious bulky envelope. Ospane could make out the vague shapes of the key and ring through the paper.

“Would you like it to be here on the same month and day?”

“Yeah, yeah. Uh. It works. Sure. You sure you’ll be okay?”

The mail carrier relaxes further and chuckles at that. “Your grandma gave me a fifty year delayed delivery. I can last a measly year. It won’t be more than a blink of an eye, to me, after all. 

“What are you like immortal?!”

“Stars no! I only age when I’m on a delivery. That is.. as long as there is a delivery to make.” Ze chirped.

(How can ze be so nonchalant about this?)

As the anger boils up, Ospane lets it boil her skin, then simmer down. This wasn’t worth arguing about. 

“How old are you? You look.. what? Thirty?”

“Actually, closer to hundred. Perhaps more if I aged with the rest of the timeline.”

“How?” Ospane exasperates.

“Magic, as you would guess. It’s an old spell. I remember when the Primus found this as a sapling. She somehow had the feeling that it would stand the test of time. I couldn’t be bothered to believe her but I guess it found a way regardless.” Ze chuckled at the upturned pavement. It was a wonder that the tree hadn’t been chopped down yet. 

“How long ago was that?”

“Oh, you know… time isn’t something I distinguish very easily now. Must be.. oh! Now I remember, it was after we got in a nasty scurmish with the Bacaganhagan riots. This wasn’t even a neighborhood back then, just warehouses.”

“That’s almost unbelievable.” Ospane watches the mail carrier suspiciously.

“Believe me or not, but you did get that letter didn’t you? Do you think I forged it? Perhaps it’s all an elaborate prank.” Ze leans in. “I hear that’s popular with your generation.”

Ospane rolls her eyes. “Just because the letters real, doesn’t make everything you say true.”

“I suppose it doesn’t. Well, I really must be going.”

Ospane waves ze off.

Without much fanfare, the nimble mail carrier scampers up the tree and disappears into the branches. Ospane walks around the base of the tree but can’t spot ze. If it wasn’t for her earlier exhaustion, she definitely would’ve chased ze up the tree. Now? 

She dismisses it when she spots the discarded candy wrappers. “Asshole. I guess littering isn’t a big deal when you come from.” She pockets the wrappers before a deep sleep catches her. 

Ospane yawns. She settles back at the base of the tree for a couple more minutes to rest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [OG Idea: 2019/12/23]  
> [Published: 2020/1/17]
> 
> Growing up, I never saw a mail carrier deliver mail to people’s houses. They only delivered to a communal box. Where I live now, they deliver individually. I thought it looked hella weird when I first saw it since I’ve only seen it in movies. This mail carrier in particular was jogging across people’s lawn which felt like in an attempt to avoid me (we were walking in the same direction). In retrospect, it probably was more efficient than returning to the side walk each time. Nonetheless, it accentuated the mail carrier’s weirdness like they were Beetle Juice or Robbie Rotten. 
> 
> This also happened in a spot where I often get writing ideas. The houses meet the sky in this weird way with the slopping of the hill. I can see a lot from the vantage point. It makes me feel like I’m in an alternate world. Later, I saw this raggedy old tree on the way back. That’s when I thought that it wouldn’t surprise to see the mail carrier to run up the tree and disappear or reappear from within its branches.


End file.
